Ultimate Prey Jason vs Predator
by Lucifer's HellHound
Summary: New Jersey is suffering a heat-wave and Predator chooses the wrong hunting ground: Crystal Lake. Involves an OFC from a lost story, ignore her. Read it, it's fun, I promise.


"Ultimate Prey"

Jason vs. Predator

In the late summer of 2007 Jason Voorhees was at rest. An unusually large influx of intruders to Crystal Lake had effectively worn him out. His tally was up by 61, a strange coincidence for that was exactly how old he was that year. Not that age had any bearing on Jason, for will-power can do wonders for health and well-being. Or perhaps it was the regular blood baths, no one was ever really sure. But it was also this unusually heavy reign of terror and blood that drew the attention of another exceptional creature. Billions of miles away a monitor looked coldly upon the tiny blue planet called Earth and registered a heat wave. New Jersey was experiencing an extraordinarily hot summer with temperatures in the high 90's and low 100's, even into August. A young and eager set of eyes perceived this and knew his chance had come. Hunting season had begun.  
As a new day dawned Jason stirred from his cabin and noticed an unusual atmospheric disturbance. A sound he had never heard shattered the peace of the forest and a fireball pierced the sky and plummeted towards the earth. It crashed into the ground, leveling three square acres of trees and creating a boom heard for dozens of miles. Jason was not impressed and immediately realized the crash site was outside his territorial boundary. It was not his concern, he had real intruders to deal with.  
A van had arrived near dawn carrying a cargo of warm and laughing teenagers ready for a fun day of hiking in the infamous woods. None realized they had crossed the line into Jason's territory. They were confident in the fact that their chosen route took them miles from Crystal Lake. How juicy the naïve.  
Jason moved slowly, savoring the hot sun upon his back and the dappling of cool shade under the trees. The leaves had not started to turn yet but everything was vaguely muted from the heat. The early-morning dew softened the underbrush, further silencing his already stealthy movements. The muffled beating of mortal hearts thudded quietly in his ears, urging him toward the inevitable. It was not his place to hear their reasoning for trespassing. It was not his concern their pleads for mercy. The law was simple, when they crossed the line the gavel sounded: Guilty was the verdict.  
He passed their van without a glance, it was of no use to him. Flesh is what he desired; warm and soft and deliciously fragile. Vengeance was never cold to him. As he got closer he caught their scent, sweet and slightly salty. Their voices resounded in the woods, their footsteps as loud as a herd of deer stampeding. Humans were so inconsiderate, so rude. Shattering the peace of his forest.  
He reached to his side, feeling the heavy leather sheathe and his sharp friend inside. No need for that…he wasn't in position yet. Speeding up he moved ahead of them, straight into the hiking path. He wanted a head-on showdown this time. There were nine voices, six female and three male. One set of footsteps was much heavier than the others, probably an adult, older than the others. He would have to go first. A sudden movement caught his eye suddenly, ahead of him amongst the trees, but it was gone. No matter, he sensed nothing except the filthy intruders.  
Stepping onto the path he drew the machete from its sheathe and waited. The first to come into view froze, a young woman in very short shorts. He always liked the way they showed off for him, wearing such revealing clothing. A boy and girl appeared behind her and likewise froze in place, the male almost perfectly mimicking his own position. But the next figure behind them didn't freeze, not even for a moment, instead it pulled around a very large gun and fired.

Jason felt the impact of the shell, he recognized it by its force pushing him back; a shotgun. The gun was held by a large and heavy-set fellow who refused to hesitate in pulling the trigger again and again. Jason took one step backward, then another, vaguely enjoying the tearing sensation within him. Bullets were such impersonal injuries, he much preferred the blade. The gun stopped roaring and the man grabbed the teens and started yelling, "Run! Run, damnit!"  
They fled. That was alright, he would catch them no matter which way they scattered. He moved swiftly forward, machete raised and brought it down with a wet ripping sound between the man's shoulder and neck, effectively splitting him in half.  
As he rounded the corner of the path one of the boys let go a branch, slapping him hard in the mask. He turned and went after the insolent creature, catching him with a massive hand around his neck. He squeezed gently, feeling the tender muscle give under pressure. The boy squeaked, a meek pathetic sound he despised. With a quick twist it was over, the body crumpled into the dirt. A scream caught his attention and he sensed something definitely strange in the air. Another scent wafted on the breeze, something completely unfamiliar and altogether alien. He moved in that direction, the others were there and their sentence must be imposed.  
Moving through the trees he came upon the last boy and two girls, all three cowered at the sight of him. The boy pulled out a knife and lunged at him, he deflected the charge easily and brought his fist down on the little thing's spine. An all-too-familiar crunch accompanied this movement and the boy lie still. "Michael!" screamed one of the girls as she moved toward him and then thought better of herself. She grabbed the other girl's hand and dragged her behind in a dead run. Jason followed at his usual pace, no need to run, they always trip in a panic anyway.  
He watched them bolt through the undergrowth and then turned off to intercept. It wasn't difficult, and he quickly beheaded the both of them, youngest first as the eldest screamed uncontrollably. He heard what sounded like gunfire and moved toward it, still hearing the incessant beating of mortal hearts. Moving aside a branch to look into a clearing he saw pieces; sticky, red, and meaty. The ground was dark with blood and he recognized a single piece, a finger. He looked up and was startled to see three bodies hanging in the branches above him. They were completely skinless and disemboweled hanging like meat on display from the upper-most branches. Then he perceived a movement, but there was nothing there to move.  
Suddenly the last girl stepped into the clearing and stopped dead. Jason shifted his gaze from the tree-tops to the girl and back. She followed the direction of his mask and began screaming. Falling over herself as she reversed out of the clearing she turned and ran full-tilt through the woods. For once Jason hesitated in following…the strangeness of this situation deeply unnerved him. Nothing had ever killed in his territory before. But in the end vengeance won out, he went after the girl. He immediately sensed something following him and turned, but again there was nothing to see…only the shimmer of the heat. He continued his pursuit, deciding on a play strategy. He cut around her and stepped into her path. She screamed and fell back, tripping over a dead branch. She rolled onto her knees and crawled away, sniveling and crying like a helpless child. He stepped in front of her again, so close her head slammed into his shins. He sheathed the machete as she looked up at him, silently pleading with him to spare her.  
How worthless her cries for mercy, her fate was sealed the moment she defied his law. He reached down, placing his fingers around her throat and lifting her to eye level brought her face as close to his mask as was possible without touching. He tilted his head slightly and sighed heavily, his breath ruffling her blonde hair. A tear ran down her cheek as she closed her eyes and he squeezed with all his might, popping her head from her spine like a dandelion flower.

Above him something visibly stirred. He dropped the body and looked upward just in time to see something jump from one branch to another then to another. He didn't actually see anything, but knew he saw something move. He followed with his eyes until it stopped, and saw a flash of an outline. Something was in his trees…and he knew it had killed those women. It had been hunting in his territory, killing his victims. Then a blue flash erupted from the nothing and flew at him, he dodged behind a tree and felt a blast of hot hair as it exploded against a nearby tree. Another came before he could react and a searing pain shot through his chest, knocking him off his feet. He felt his back hit the dirt and lie still, assessing the situation as the burning subsided.  
A figure appeared over him, huge and strange with a metal shield covering its face. No matter. He suddenly lunged, grabbing hold of the creature's throat tightly and throwing it hard against a large oak. It slumped for only a moment then disappeared completely. He stood and turned, looking down at what lay on the ground at his feet. His arm lay there, looking distinctly out of place as any disembodied limb would in that situation. He reached to feel his right shoulder but his fingers sunk into a wet mass instead. Glancing down sharply he observed a large void where his shoulder should have been. From the base of his neck down in a semi-circle was completely gone. A chunk extending half-way through his right pectoral muscle and down to his sixth rib was simply removed. His entire shoulder and a good deal of his upper chest has been blasted off. The arm on the ground ended half-way up his bicep. He reached down and picked it up, examining it mildly as he strode off toward his cabin. Better check on Natalie.  
He entered quietly, as usual, finding her facing the wall doing some mending of one of his shirts. He had never had so much care for his clothing, but she seemed to enjoy the action, so he allowed it. He put his arm down and pulled the machete sheath from his belt and lay it on the table with a dull thud. She turned and simultaneously gasped and covered her mouth. Her eyes got huge, the needle in her hand forgotten as she stared at the massive damage to his body. Behind the mask he smiled, he had expected this reaction. "Jason…" she sputtered as she rose from her chair awkwardly. "Wh…wha…what…?" It was amusing to see her so disconcerted at his injury. After all, she had never seen him seriously hurt, if that's what you could call it, and he never showed her anyway. He always healed in the shrine, sparing her the gore and disturbing scene of his monstrous process. She moved to him, her hand out slightly, almost as if she needed to touch it to be sure it was real. Her hand landed on his chest and the warmth of her touch sent chills through his body. How he loved her touch.  
"Jason, my god, what…ha..happened?" She leaned on him, her eyes scanning the wound and following the steady stream of dark fluid as it ran down his leg, over his boot and pooled on the dirt floor of the cabin. "This wound…its not normal…Who did this?" She was regaining her composure, seeing him not even slightly phased by the massive injury. He lifted his arm to her eye level and she gasped again, tears welling in her eyes. "Jesus! Whoever did this…I…I'm…" she was panicking. Getting riled up. She moved away from him, started pacing and ranting to herself. Jason put the arm back on the table and went to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She turned and he looked into her eyes. In his mind, "Stop…it's OK." She stopped, wiping her face vigorously. "Goddamnit, Jason! You can…fix this…right?" She was so upset. A word his mother used came close to describing her at that moment, 'flustrated.'

He gestured for her to watch, two fingers pointed at her eyes, then to himself. He picked up the arm and held it near position, then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gritted his teeth. Regeneration was never a comfortable process. She watched, he could feel her eyes, as the dark fluid, such a deep red it was almost black, began to well up inside the gaping hole. It didn't run down anymore, but took on a gelatinous composition. It formed tendrils suddenly, winding, twisting filaments as thick around as her fingers formed and began writhing in the air. They intertwined and multiplied, creating an even thicker band of slimy reddish-black substance. Natalie couldn't turn away, it was gruesome and fascinating as the band of filaments fused into a solid form growing ever longer, reaching for the disembodied arm. They connected and seemed to penetrate its open end, drawing it closer. Then the appearance of the tendrils changed; they fused together and began to take on the appearance of muscle. Free muscle, without any skin, and far darker than that of any mammal. The shoulder took on a recognizable shape, the arm correctly proportioned and completely whole again...without skin. She recognized the various muscle groups and watch as the tendrils came together under his shoulder, filling the hole in his rib cage and forming a muscular wall. Then the muscle appeared to start seeping, a dark gray gel-like substance oozed from between the narrow strands and spread over the surface. Solidifying and smoothing into Jason's characteristic grayish skin. The fingers at the end of the arm twitched, then the entire hand stretched and flexed, then the elbow bent and stretched outward, the bicep muscle appeared to be trying to burst through the newly form skin. Jason was whole again.  
He opened his eyes and took another deep breath. Natalie stood with eyes as large as tea saucers, a single tear gliding down one smooth cheek. Jason reached out with his newly formed arm and laid his hand on her shoulder. He pulled off his mask with the other and showed her a smile, "I'm OK," it said. She fell into him, throwing her arms around his great neck. He enveloped her in his massive arms and lowered his head in a way that could only express affection. When she finally pulled away her eyes were dry and the look on her face was of sheer wonder. "I've never seen anything like it," she said quietly. "Jason, is that how you've always healed?" He nodded, replacing his mask; the hard acrylic feeling more real and comfortable then his own skin. "It's amazing...god, you really aren't human, are you?" she whispered to herself. He understood. No, he wasn't human, not anymore. Years of living on rage, vengeance, and will-power had forever altered him. Death was no obstacle, the most grievous of wounds harmless in the long run. Something within him was far more powerful than even he wished to contemplate.  
She sat down heavily on the bed, her breathing slow and just a little abnormal. She was in mild shock, but it would pass. He had gotten used to her vital signs, his extraordinary senses easily picking up her heart beat even from great distances. He could literally smell when she was in trouble. Ever since the accident she'd been a little more fragile, though he doubted she noticed. She was so very strong. That's why he kept her. The alien presence was still in his woods. Nearby, as a matter of fact, and although he didn't know what it was or why exactly it had come, he knew it was dangerous. It had so easily inflicted such massive damage and had taken the brute punishment without so much as a whimper and had recovered remarkably quickly. No, whatever it was, it wasn't human either and it was out for blood. But somewhere in the back of his mind the thought came...My blood.  
He decided to move Natalie. As long as it was near she wasn't safe. There was no way she could defend herself against that thing. It was far too powerful. He picked up the machete and replaced it at his side and went to her, gesturing for her to stand, he wasn't sure how she would react when he lifted her. He leaned down and picked her up, arm under knee and behind her shoulders, her weight was nothing.  
"Where are we going?" she asked, a little uncertainty in her voice. He wanted to tell her somewhere safe, but words never were his strong point. He simply nodded and started walking. He lengthened his stride, moving more swiftly than he had all day, making sure to protect her face from the branches. The shrine was the safest place, secluded and impenetrable but through the small entrance. He sensed the presence behind him, following. At least he could more effectively protect her at the shrine. He refused to challenge the being, it was not the same as a human being in his territory and the damage it could inflict was far too severe. Only if it directly attacked again would he risk a fight, he knew what his limits were and he wasn't sure of the being's limits.

A sudden force struck his back hard enough to disrupt his stride. Natalie apparently felt the blow and gasped, looking up at him with what was definitely fear. He felt blood flowing down his back and knew severe damage had been done. He lowered Natalie to the ground and stepped in front of her, shielding her with his huge frame from whatever was attacking him. She would not be caught in the crossfire.  
He watched for the shimmer he knew now was the creature and spotted it high in the top of a great tree. It's outline was visible in the bright sun light and there was a waft of smoke pluming from its left shoulder. The source of the damage lie there. Natalie peeked from behind him and followed his gaze; "Jason...I...oh my god..." she stopped, apparently struck by what she was seeing.  
The creature had materialized, now in full view for everyone to see. Sparks and currents of electricity swirled over its skin, making the high sizzling noise Jason hated. It was very muscular, mostly black in color and wearing an array of armor and weaponry. The helmet Jason recognized as the face that had stood over him earlier, with a strange and intricate design across the forehead. Behind there hung a great mass of black tendrils, strangely reminiscent of the ones that had regenerated Jason's shoulder. It crouched in a frog-like position on one of the thickest branches, its feet and hands portraying large claws but otherwise very similar to those of a human being. On its left shoulder was mounted what looked like a small gun, showing a mild blue afterglow in his barrel. It slowly rose to stand on the branch, looking directly at them, then leapt from the tree. It landed on all fours almost silently, resuming its crouch position on the ground.  
Jason hesitated, he felt the searing heat in his back and the gush of fluid still flowing from the wound and wasn't sure how to proceed. Natalie was currently a big disadvantage, vulnerable if he left her. But this creature could not be allowed to attack him without repercussion, twice in one day it had caused a nasty wound. "Jason..." he heard her whisper behind him. "If you think you can…I'll be alright." Natalie was confident that he could drive this being off, if not kill it. She was still very upset over the previous injury, and now, behind him, could see the extent of the new one. The blow had torn a clean hole in his back more than 7 inches across; the ends of his mutilated ribs were visible, his spine completely severed, the pulsating black mass within his chest open to the air. It was a terrible sight and if he were human he most certainly would have been dead. As it was, he was losing a lot of blood. Though she wasn't sure what this could possibly do to him, his physiology was most definitely not normal. But even as she was thinking this the wound began to mend, the tendrils seethed over the hole, coming from inside the very bone to reconnect everything. His body tensed noticeably, his breathing becoming heavier. She recognized rage when she saw it, especially Jason's rage.

Jason's decision was instantaneous, he unsheathed the machete and practically bolted forward, lunging at the crouching being without a second thought. The creature stood, and as Jason approached it became clear that it was almost half a foot taller. It turned slightly, it's head tilting and shaking back and forth. It reached up, and tapped the side of its mask, then looked back up toward Jason.

Predator was frustrated, no matter which wavelength of light he used his target never showed clearly. In heat he disappeared almost completely. Switching to one of the more obscure wavelengths he was able to perceive the metallic weapon in its hand. He had missed once, the second shot hit off center, and the last he had used the heat of the cripple to aim. It was unusual that the projectile had not gone clean through the target's chest. It seemed to be made of some extraordinarily dense material. At first he had perceived it as a human, fragile but determined, a worthy target. But now it was clear that this thing was something else, far tougher.

Jason raised the machete and brought it down…into nothing. The Predator had vanished, leaping dexterously into the branches of one of the trees. It remained visible though it moved far too quickly for Jason to follow. Natalie screamed. He turned, she was gone too.

"Jason!" she screamed from above him. As he turned the Predator fired. Jason collapsed, the projectile had torn his torso nearly in half. A hole as large as a truck wheel extended from his hip to his pectoris major and across his abdomen leaving barely six inches of flesh holding him together. His bodily fluids streamed, his innards, unrecognizable as they were, spilled onto the dirt. He heard Natalie scream again, but could do nothing. The sensation was incredible, and no matter the effort his legs refused to move. His machete lay about ten feet away, out of reach, whether he could use it or not.

Natalie screamed with all the volume she could muster. Predator completely ignored her, carrying her roughly slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Jason!"

When they lost sight of him she stopped. 'My god,' she thought, 'could he have died?' 'No, no…he can't die. He's immortal, right? Jesus, he was torn in half!' She began to shiver, and felt her heart pounding against her chest. 'Jason, please…please…' And she cried.

Jason concentrated. He had to heal, fast. But his body was tired, the more he was injured the longer it took to regenerate each time, and this injury wasn't slight. He reached down and started to gather his parts, pushing them back inside along with the dirt and debris that coated them. It's not like infection could harm him. The tendrils emerged, slowly. Their color lighter than before, he looked down, not good. This would take a while. He laid down his head and relaxed. No point stressing, it never helped anything. Natalie would be OK, she was strong, remember?

Predator headed for the temporary trophy room where his targets hung. The area was over a clearing and the trees were some of the tallest in the forest, awarding him an excellent view of the surrounding area. A fire not too long ago had cleared away the undergrowth, allowing for nearly perfect visibility. If the target had survived the last shot, which it probably would judging from its reaction to the previous injury. This was a worthy opponent, perhaps the best he had ever discovered.

Jason shivered, his body working hard to repair the damage. While he waited he analyzed the creature's behavior; it was definitely confident, agile, strong, possessed excellent and powerful weapons, and was certainly intelligent. Attributes that always spelled trouble. It was bigger than he was, for one thing, which was highly unusual. Jason had actually never met anyone taller than himself. He wondered if the mask held any significance or if it were only protective. His own mask offered minimal protection, at least of the physical sort, it was more of a mental thing. Regardless, this thing now had the only friend he had ever known and it had to die.

Natalie looked up through her tears and perceived the terrifying vision of three skinless bodies hanging from the branches, their abdomens and ribcages opened and completely empty, their heads missing. Predator set her down hard on a branch, next to three bloody skulls. 'Well, there are their heads,' she thought nervously, shifting a little farther from them. Predator crouched nearby, arms crossed on knees, staring in her direction. He hadn't harmed her, but why? She was desperately trying to learn from him. Perhaps he would reveal something useful in destroying him. She watched him as closely as she could without giving herself away, but it didn't seem to matter. The thing wasn't interested in her, at least not that she could tell.

Predator watched her carefully, this one was surprisingly unafraid of him. Strong and powerful in her own way. But she would never qualify as a worthy trophy, her disability making her less than worthy. But still, she was interesting. He didn't have to wonder what the target saw in her, it was obvious.

"What do you want?" Natalie asked suddenly. The Predator turned its head sharply, then tilted it slightly to the right. Natalie was a little stunned by the resemblance of the gesture, it was actually quite creepy. Then it brought up its forearm and flipped open a small flat box mounted on it. With a single claw it began pressing buttons, apparently choosing carefully, then she heard her own words directed back at her, only strangely distorted. She changed her question, "What are you?" It shifted back and forth on its knees, then said, in the same distorted and raspy voice, "What..are..you..?" 'My god,' she thought, 'its trying to communicate.' Intelligent for sure, but it had to have a disadvantage. Suddenly an idea came to her. She raised her hand slowly, waving it through the air. The creature's gaze followed it, the movement barely detectable, but she noticed. Then she plucked a thickly leaved branch, enough to cover her hand and forearm. She moved this through the air, and the creature's gaze remained fixed on her shoulder. It then tapped its mask like it had when facing Jason, and suddenly its gaze focused on the branch. And she knew.

Meanwhile, Jason lay still motionless on the floor of the forest. Pain wracked his body as it continued the regenerative process. It was almost complete, he could feel his feet at least, but his legs still refused to respond. He wasn't sure how long he had lain there, but he was certain he could sense Natalie and she was safe; for the moment. He concentrated all his will on regenerating, he had to get to her before it was too late. There was no way of knowing what the alien was planning.

Finally the pain began to subside. He sat up, feeling the new muscles strain and tighten against his will. The sensation was intensely uncomfortable, but he ignored it. Physical pain was something he had become used to over the years, it was this weird sensation in his heart that confused him. The one that was strongest in her presence. If something happened to her he had no idea what he would do. The thought of her ending up skinless and bowel-less hanging in the trees infuriated him beyond measure and made him tremble with what he could only label as fear.

Natalie stared at the creature, motionless on the branch before her. It was still relaxed and apparently more interested in her than before. "Pre…da…t…or…" it said, putting distinct emphasis on each syllable. "I am Predator," it said.

"It fits," Natalie said simply, a look of surprise on her face. "You are an expert hunter, obviously," she continued. "But…why?"

Predator wasn't sure he understood the word, it was in the context of a question; "Why?" he repeated. The words seeming downright abnormal in his throat. He had never been faced with communicating with his prey. But these animals surely relied on language more than any other mode of communication and she was unusual. The companion of something more like himself than he had ever encountered. The creature down below that had survived a fatal injury, fatal at least to his species. But now Predator was aware that although he appeared similar to these soft-bodied mammals, he was certainly not one of them. The strange lack of an accurate heat reading was the first indication, and from his other sensor systems readings the material was more dense and amazingly like the material around him. It was less like flesh and more like the wood of the trees, making him blend in with the surrounding bush in practically any wavelength. The target's heart even confused him, for it had no rhythm at all, only an erratic and extremely unpredictable pattern of strong and weak beats. Sometimes not beating at all for long periods of time. What kind of creature had no regular heart beat?

Jason rose to his knees then to his feet and glanced around to get his bearings and locate his machete. As his hand closed around the familiar handle he felt relief , it always made him feel better to have that blade in his hand. He began to move, focusing all his senses on Natalie it wasn't difficult to pick up her elevated heart beat. She was understandably nervous about the situation and he hoped she would not lose faith in his ability to heal. She should know he would come for her, even death could not hold him from that.

The ground was covered quickly, and in the process he realized that a direct approach would just result in another massive loss of flesh and more regenerating time. He had to eliminate the gun, that was the only way he stood a chance. Such a realization had never occurred to him before, but such a situation had never occurred to him before. Perhaps Natalie could assist him in such an endeavor, if she was close enough. She certainly qualified as a distraction.

As he got closer he sensed the Predator and knew his position immediately. The angle would have to be perfect if he wished to avoid injuring Natalie. He kept moving, slowly and silent as death, creeping toward their position. The moment the tree was in view he froze. Predator was facing away from him, its gaze seemingly fixed on Natalie. Rage welled up within him; along with another less familiar emotion. She was looking intently at the creature, an expression on her face that was far from alien. He felt his heart beat become rapid, but manually suppressed it. If he could hear the Predator's heart, it was a good bet that the Predator could hear his.

Natalie stared at the Predator, "Why do you hunt?" Predator thought he understood the question this time, the response was simple in his own language, but how to communicate it in this one? He stood up, his height terribly impressive compared to the seated form before him. Why he believed he needed to respond he wasn't sure, but perhaps it was simply that this creature was new and interesting. He stretched out his arm and opened his hand in a gesture of benevolence, but then placed the palm directly in front of her face. Showing her the scar etched there, black and thick. The symbol was not familiar to Natalie, but it was obvious that it meant something to the Predator. "Honor," it said harshly. "I kill for honor." The voice was distinctly more confident than before and it was obvious to Natalie that although monstrous in appearance this creature was more intelligent than previously expected. And the answer brought to mind so many more questions.

Before she could ask any of them something unexpected occurred. An all-too-familiar machete came flying through the air, piercing the gun mounted on the Predator's shoulder, breaking it away, and fixing it to the trunk of the tree only a few inches from her head. "Shit!" was all that came out. The Predator's reaction was far more useful as he leapt from the tree onto the ground, leaving Natalie high on the branch. She looked down to see the Predator met with the massive fist of Jason's left hand. Which he caught in his huge clawed one, preventing the strike. He then dexterously leaped backward to avoid Jason's right hand coming around toward his head.

"Jason!" Natalie screamed. "Stay close to the trees! He can't see you!" It was bad timing as Jason glanced up the Predator swung his lumberjack arm, landing a blow to Jason's chest knocking him back into a tree. Jason froze while the Predator tapped his mask, adjusting the wavelength for a better view. Jason reached up and grabbed a thick branch, ripping it dangerously from the tree and in the same motion bringing it around onto the Predator's mask, cracking it down the center. Predator stepped back then lunged, back handing Jason across the mask hard enough to knock him to the ground.

Predator pulled the mask off, the pressure having been released already. Reaching down he grabbed Jason by the coat with both hands, lifting him off the ground and bringing him directly face to face. Natalie watched in awe at the face of the creature, "That is one ugly son-of-a-bitch!" she said out loud. As she said it the mandibles twitched then spread out, revealing a hideous set of re-curved fang-like teeth, then it screamed. Or rather, screamed, roared, growled, and whined all in the same sound at a volume that was unimaginable. Jason's fists landed with a dull thudding sound in the creature's abdomen, it released him as it stumbled backward. Jason shook his head slightly, the blow to the side of his skull disorienting him. He lunged for the Predator, the fingers of one hand closing around its throat the other around its wrist. He began to pull, but the Predator's free hand came up, grabbing at Jason's mask and tearing it away, the claws gashing his face at the same time. Jason instinctively let go the Predator's wrist and reached for his face, then realizing his mistake attempted to correct his error, but it was too late. Predator's hand closed on Jason's throat, the other reached down and landed between his legs. The claws bit into his crotch as he was lifted up over the head of the creature, it happened so fast he could do nothing to prevent it, and suddenly he was thrown. He landed in the branches above Natalie in the tree, but his weight was too great and he crashed down through them, landing folded over on the branch where Predator had previously been standing.

"Oh my God!" Natalie squeaked as she watched her husband crash down from above, his face bloody, his body apparently broken. "Jason…" He jerked to life, his movements sudden and strong, any number of powerful crackings and poppings coming from his bones. He only glanced at her as he released the branch, dropping the 60 or so feet to the ground and charging the Predator again. His muscles bulging, his entire body tense. He was pissed. Predator dodged the initial charge, nimbly dashing around and landing a powerful blow to the top of Jason's shoulders. Blind rage was a disadvantage, Jason had never been so man-handled, at least not since he reached adult-hood. This was a situation beyond his experience. "Jason!" Natalie screamed, trying desperately to call through the blind hate. "You can't do this! You have to think, strength alone cannot defeat this enemy!"

Predator backed up, his body taking on a lower broader stance, his arms held out, and he roared again. Its fingers twitched, the claws gesturing for Jason to come and get some. Jason charged again, going low this time he changed direction at the last second and threw out his tree-trunk-like leg to knock the legs out from under the creature. It went down on its back and Jason leapt upon his chest his knees biting into its sternum and brought down a fist into the creature's mandibles. It reached up, digging its claws into Jason's ribcage. Jason ignored the pain, instead he focused on beating the thing's face into a pulp. The claws then shifted from his ribs and its fist connected with his skull. Again and again the punches came, from Jason, from Predator, back and forth. Then a direct uppercut from the Predator knocked Jason off him.

It lay on the ground for only a moment, then rose, spitting its florescent green blood onto the ground. Several teeth were missing from its terrible maw, but it seemed otherwise unharmed. Natalie watched Jason rise from the ground as well, what remained of his coat was black and glistening with blood. He stood with his weight shifted to his left foot, the knee of his right leg at a strange angle. He turned his foot outward and a god awful *snap* corrected the angle of his knee, an audible grunt came from his battered face. Natalie had only heard a sound from Jason twice before, and both situations involved intense sensation.

Predator clicked, a strange guttural sound, Jason grunted again. Natalie shifted in her seat, desperately trying to figure out something to help her husband. He wasn't on familiar ground any longer, this creature was fabulously different from anything he had faced before. "Jason!" she called, unsure suddenly what she was going to say. Perhaps she only wanted to show him she was still behind him. His eyes drifted in his skull, she noticed that one of the gashes on his face passed over his good eye, he couldn't possibly see clearly through that injury.

Predator watched Jason carefully, searching for the best possible route of attack. The target did not appear weakened in any way, more irritable surely, but not particularly injured. He analyzed his own body, noting any aches, but he also appeared pretty much unharmed except for a few teeth. Suddenly Jason charged again, bending over and spearing the Predator directly midsection, throwing him to the ground and landing on top of him. Predator raised his fist and once again back-handed Jason across the temple, knocking him onto his side. The Predator leapt on top of him, straddling him and landing punch after punch into Jason's already beaten face. Jason wrapped his fingers around the Predator's bicep and yanked downward with all his strength, Natalie heard a terrifying tearing sound as florescent arterial spray splattered the trunk of the tree. The Predator's roar turned to a scream of unearthly horror as it rolled off Jason, clutching its shoulder. In Jason's hand was the detached and twitching arm of the alien. Pay back is a bitch.

Predator fled, running full tilt through the forest screeching his pain to the world. Jason rose from the ground and tilted his head as he examined the unusual clawed arm in his hand. He was vaguely impressed by the circumference of the muscles but his own was still larger. He dropped it in the dirt and wavered his gaze upward into the tree tops, trying to focus on Natalie. His vision was truly disabled, that thing's claws has done a number on his eyes.

"Jason! I'm here!" Natalie called, waving her arm broadly through the air. His face turned and finally focused on her. "Get me down!" He looked carefully at the tree and began to climb. Reaching her he wrapped his great arm around her waist and jumped, being careful not to hurt her. Natalie threw her arms around him, "I'm so glad your OK," she breathed, snuggling her face into his neck and starting to cry. Jason returned the gesture, holding tight to her, his hand drifting down to rest on her right buttock. Natalie smiled, he really was OK.

Predator came to a halt nearly a mile from Jason and collapsed at the base of a large pine. The bleeding had mostly stopped but the pain remained. He panted, gurgling slightly through the blood that still seeped into his mouth from his torn gums. He held up his remained arm and using his mandible opened the cover-plate. It was time to leave, he had failed to eliminate his target but he was not willing to die on this savage planet. He had some trouble locating the correct buttons but finally managed to activate the emergency beacon. He was aware that honor took precedence over safety but he was also sure that he had put up a healthy effort. He knew there would be another face-off between him and the target, it was obviously territorial. There was no way to avoid another confrontation, it would definitely track him. There was only one option.

Using his free hand he opened another compartment on his leg and removed a large swath of cloth-like material which he then placed over the still seeping stump of his shoulder. A strange silver apparatus was removed next which he then clipped to the cloth. Pressing a button on the clip the material suddenly collapsed around the wound, form fitting the tattered and raw stump, Predator roared. Jason's head snapped up and turned in the direction of the sound. Predator rose from his position, breathing hard, and stalked off deeper into the woods searching for a more concealed position.

Jason attempted to put Natalie down, it was time to finish this, but she wouldn't let go his neck. "Uhh uh, Jason, no way," she said. "You aren't going anywhere without me." He grunted, giving her a look that clearly indicated displeasure. "No," that look said, "absolutely not." But Natalie would have none of it. "I am not going to sit here and wait for you to get killed or for that thing to come back and kill me for sheer spite. You are taking me with you." Jason's expression was unreadable, but he knew that he could not realistically leave her there on the forest floor. She was right, after all. She watched his expression change; "Fine," it said with a roll of the eyes. She allowed him to shift her to his back, holding on tight as he threw in to his characteristic long stride, following the florescent trail.

Predator moved quickly, searching for a place to disappear until his back up arrived. A dark patch ahead caught his attention, it appeared to be a cave of some kind. Coming from it was the scent of death in all its varying repulsive degrees. He approached it cautiously, wary of any possible residents, but the place was uninhabited…at least by anything with a heartbeat. He stopped dead in the entrance, for inside was what only could be described as a trophy room. All around him, along every wall, strewn before him in haphazard piles, and even on the walls were human remains. Incomplete skeletons made rickety shelves for semi-decomposed limbs and skulls with partial heads of hair and shrunken skin or bulging tongues and eyes. There must have been hundreds of individual bodies and good number more of just decapitated heads. One pile stood nearly as tall as himself and was composed entirely of skulls, some for very old, others appeared nearly fresh. The Predator bowed his head slightly in reverence to the shrine of death, for that was certainly its purpose. A shrine to this target's own predatory nature and its apparent insatiable bloodlust. Predator could figure no opposing explanation for the concentrated presence of so many bodies. The organization of the bodies was, however, thoroughly random. His own people had extremely complex rituals associated with the preparation of trophies; cleaning, drying, dressing, hanging, and decorating of trophies was something that was very important in his society. The strength of one's character was always proven by one's skill in the hunt and the grandeur of one's trophies. The display of one's trophies was done with respect and design.

Jason watched a small craft come blazing through the atmosphere, this time in a great deal more control than the one from the morning. He slowed his progress in order to follow the craft's descent, it soon became obvious that its trajectory was a direct line for the shrine. That could only mean that that vile creature had located his most sacred place and was likely inside it. Could anything else go wrong today?

Predator also watched the craft's slow and controlled descent, it was time for an explanation. As the ship landed it evaporated a good number of trees but its doors opened before it actually touched the ground. Silhouetted in the blue light of the doorway was a familiar form, the intimidating and monstrous outline of his father. Nearly twice his weight and almost 6 inches taller, his father was no small creature. He held a great amount of respect in the eyes of the council for his innumerable accomplishments in the hunt and in battle. If anyone could preserve Predator's life it would be him, for he had never failed.

Father stepped from the ship and came into the green-tinted sunlight of the forest almost at the same moment as Jason moved into view. His tattered face still uncovered, his clothing coated in his own blood and the blood of his foe. He was faced with Father, an impressive and frightening creature to say the least. Natalie peaked over Jason's shoulder and took in the sight as well. Father was nearly seven and a half feet tall with muscles nearly splitting his skin, his dread-locks hung past his buttocks and were intertwined with bones and bits of metal and feathers. He wore no helmet, nor any armor, only a loin cloth and any number of trinkets and necklaces about his neck and wrists, including a human skull on a narrow chain. In his hand was a slim metallic staff about two feet long intricately engraved. Jason took a step forward, taking note of the Predator's position and demeanor, but paying most attention to the new comer.

Predator watched Father carefully, he had hoped to have a moment before the target appeared, but it was not to be. Jason gaze shifted back and forth between them, and he chose the latter, heading at fill stride for the injured Predator. Predator shifted uneasily, then braced himself for the charge. He could not flee in the face of Father, it would not go down well. Jason struck full force, his fingers digging into the stump of Predator's shoulder. Predator screamed in agony but managed to bring his claws around to grip Jason's crotch and twist. The move had no effect except to provoke the demonic fingers to dig in deeper. Jason's other hand attached to the Predator's wrist and twisted downward with such force the elbow wrenched free of its joint triggering yet another horrific scream. With that done Jason's fist buried itself in the rock-like abdominal muscles of the now helpless Predator, forcing the breath out of the beast.

Then Natalie screamed…

Natalie fell to the ground, her ribs throbbing, gasping for breath. Jason reeled, his arm coming around like a tree-branch only to be caught and twisted downward by Father's enormous clawed hand. The sound of his elbow dislocating was like the grinding of boulders in Natalie's ears. Predator dodged Jason's other arm as it came around striking Father squarely in the chest and having no effect whatsoever. He threw his palm forward, landing a perfect palm-strike dead-center on Jason's chest knocking him straight to the ground where he remained, chest heaving. Jason could not believe the power of the blow, his heart had actually stopped mid-beat. But turning his head he managed to get a bead on Natalie and check her over. But before he could get a good reading he was hoisted off his feet by Father and pinned against a tree, unable to move. Father's face approached, his black eyes only an inch from Jason's, his mandibles twitching; then he roared. Screaming his displeasure at Jason, deafening him for a moment and leaving his ears ringing. That was it…from deep within his belly, working its way through the decades of silence, came a roar of equal volume and exceeding ferocity. Natalie's head jerked up, stunned by the sudden show of sound from her mute husband.

Father landed a punch in Jason's abdomen, then continued to press inward, forcing the air out of Jason's lungs. With his free hand he removed the metallic staff from his belt and tapped it against his thigh releasing a 30 inch blade. This he subsequently implanted into Jason's stomach at an upward angle, then pulled, opening his abdomen from just below the belly button to his sternum. Jason spasmed, his eyes rolling in their sockets as his innards migrated outwards. Natalie turned away, unable to watch as Father's claws ripped through Jason's ribcage and closed around his heart. Jason raised his hands weakly and attempted to get a hold on anything available, but it was of no use. With a sharp pull the ligaments snapped, a flood of thick black fluid surged from within Jason's chest splashing Natalie's face. Jason gave one last convulsion then slumped in a limp pile as the foot of the tree. Father stepped back and turned to his son, the heart of Jason Voorhees clenched in his fist.

Father was about to drop the heart when it suddenly gave a powerful beat, pump bump, and he glanced down at it. As he turned his eyes met Natalie's. The moment seemed excruciatingly long as Natalie stared up into the black and emotionless eyes of Father. Predator stood motionless, his eyes simultaneously watching Jason's limp and seemingly dead form and the very-much alive Natalie. He wasn't sure what Father would do, she was certainly no trophy, but he might perceive a threat.

Natalie's thoughts pounded, ideas flashing, what was she to do if he attacked? Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst and the heat of anger was in her face. She felt like crying and screaming all at once. Father let the heart fall from his fist then stepped forward, his clawed foot crushing it into the dust with a single spurt of black fluid. He continued forward and bent his face down to Natalie, studying her closely. His bloody hand came around and entwined itself in her hair pulling back her head to better see her face which bore a grimace of pain and anger. She bore her teeth and made a sound like a growl. "Asshole," she hissed. Father lifted her almost completely off the ground and deposited her to the side of the path he had chosen. Just as fast he turned and began to walk away.

"Come back here you ugly son-of-a-bitch!" she yelled. "You think I'm not good enough? Is that it? I'll kick your ass you piece of shit!" She grabbed a fairly thick log laying nearby and used it as a sort of crutch to raise herself to a standing position. Father gave no indication that he even heard her, she was of no consequence to him. She threw the stick which shattered with a great crack on the back of Father. He turned so fast and so hard that his three foot long dread locks whipped entirely around and smacked his chest, the expression on his face was so clear that a mook could have identified it. "That's right! I can hurt you, too, you piece of shit! He," she gestured toward Jason, "is not the only threat in these woods!"

Father took a single step then halted, Predator's hand had landed limply on his shoulder. A series of clicks, squeaks, and growls were exchanged as Predator objected. Father abruptly backhanded his son directly across the temple, sending him sprawling in the dirt. Natalie covered her mouth in surprise, it was all too clear what had just happened. But it was too late now, Father approached faster than she had anticipated and clamped his hand around her throat. She attempted to scream but all that escaped the vice grip was a minor squeak. It was enough.

Jason twitched to life, rising to his feet in absolute silence. It only took half a second for him to understand the situation and another half a second to decide on a course of action. Another moment and he understood the lack of weaponry, he needed an advantage in this situation. His hand drifted upward and inward, his fingers slipping inside his own chest cavity and biting into the cartilaginous knife-like sternum. In a single smooth motion he ripped outward with all his strength, his ribs snapped away like fresh twigs from a branch, leaving a jagged serrated blade nearly seven inches long. The motion continued as he lunged forward and jabbed it downward into the space between Father's shoulder and neck. Father reacted instantly, a screech of pain followed by the immediate release of Natalie from his death grip.

Father turned and saw something he had never seen before, a dead man standing before him. Jason stood there with his ribs broken and jutting outward at strange angles, the dark shiny mass within pulsing with each heaving breath. His abdominal cavity was entirely empty, the flesh hanging loosely in folds around the gaping split, his spine ghastly visible against the dark red wall. His left arm hung limp to one side, his head cocked to the side, the Predator's claw wounds still fresh upon his face. Father and Predator fled, their courage failing. Such a monstrous creature they had never before encountered and hoped to never encounter again.

Natalie looked up at her husband completely shocked at his appearance, she had never seen such devastation to a single body and could barely imagine the pain he must be in. He moved to her and, using his good arm, reached down to assist her in rising. She stood, still in complete shock that any being could possibly stand before her alive in such a state. All she wanted was to hold him, to take him in her arms but the fear of causing him pain held her back.

"Jason…" she whispered. "Are you…I mean…Jesus…" she couldn't continue. Jason looked at her and attempted a grin, it came as more of a grimace but Natalie recognized the look in his eye. Then he visibly sagged, his legs giving way he went down on his knees before her. Even on his knees he stood as tall as her. Her tears welled up as he continued his descent, finally ending laying flat on his back. She knelt beside him and ran her fingers gently down his unmarred cheek. "Jason…I love you, Jason," she whispered, fearing even by the volume of her voice she might cause him discomfort. He responded only by closing his eyes and heaving a final breath. Natalie stayed by his side, watching his motionless body take on the heir of the dead. She touched his hand and snapped back, for it was like touching the dead…lifeless as any of his victims.

Natalie crawled several yards until she found a suitable branch to use as a crutch. Rising she took one last look back at him, unsure whether he would return to her or not. Almost an hour later she passed the spot where he had removed the predator's arm and came upon his mask lying like a ghostly face peering from under some leaves. She smiled as the tears welled up, she needed to return it to him…he wasn't whole without it, she couldn't leave him exposed. Another hour and she was once again by his side. Reverently she placed the mask gently onto his still face when his hand landed upon hers, making her jump. A weak squeeze and the hand dropped back to his side. With that she rose and headed home safe in the knowledge that he would return, after a good long rest.


End file.
